The wine store web sites tend to have a large markup (but even so, those prices are a bit over the top, I guess they don't want to sell too many). The first hit on Google has the Sommelier glasses for USD 76 at http://www.winestuff.com/acatalog/Riedel_Sommelier.html


I bought 4 of them for USD 200 (or USD 50 apiece) last year (have 5 total, the other I've had for years). I do think that the Burgundy Sommelier Grand Cru is the most versatile single glass. It works for a lot of wines, even riesling. However the specific varietal glasses do have better performance, it isn't just hype to have all those different shapes. The Bordeaux glass will bring out the tobacco and lead pencil overtones, while the Burgundy glass is more fruity and floral. However a good bordeaux tastes better in the Burgundy grand cru glass than it does in the bordeaux non-grand-cru glass (which is much smaller and cheaper; the large bowl size really helps with aeration and concentrating vapours, perhaps the biggest reason for the superb results). It is really the grand cru series where Riedel has a particular advantage.

Re. the scotch glass, I don't think it is especially good, I think the cognac glass is actually better for scotch. The brandy glass I use and like is the Sommelier cognac glass (bulging tulip shape, the bowl actually is quite nice for swirling). I have found that from a taste standpoint the Riedel Sommelier series is better than anything else, including the other Riedel glasses (some are more for show than tasting).